NEDO, in collaboration with the University of Tokyo, the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Toray Industries, Inc., Teijin Limited, Toho Tenax Co., Ltd., and Mitsubishi Rayon Co., Ltd., has developed the fundamental technology for an innovative carbon fiber production process that, compared to conventional processes, can reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions by half while improving productivity by a factor of 10. This new technology will allow for low-cost mass production of carbon fibers.

In addition to working towards industrializing this mass production process, NEDO also plans to develop high-performance, multi-functional carbon fibers with innovative performance characteristics for use in composite materials.